Dam



T. Eil-:CHER

DAM

April 13, 1937.

Original Filed Sept. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WWWSQNWQM: Wm@ @NN/Mum "XN E.

gmc/Wto@ T H EODOR BECH ER la s WSMMM April 13, 1937.

T. BECHER 2,077,203

DAM

Original Filed Sept., 18, 1935' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES DAM Theodor Becher, Wiesbaden, Germany, assgnor to Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nurnberg, A. G., Nuremberg, Germany, a corporation of Germany Original application September 18, 1935, Serial i. No. 41,079. Divided and this application December 3, 1936, Serial No. 113,997. In Germany September 27, 1934 This invention relates to dams of the type adapted to extend across a stream or river to dam up the water flowing therein, and more particularly to dam structures of the type having a stationary section and a movable section coextensive with the stationary7 section, and is a division of my prior application filed in the United States Patent Oce September 18, 1935, Serial No. 41,079.

Heretofore it has been proposed to construct dams with a movable member such as a nap, wicket or the like, so as to increase the depth of the water in the pool on the upstream side of the dam.

When a movable flap is employed, the flap is hingedly connected along one edge to the top of the stationary dam structure, and this flap is adapted to be swung about the pivot provided by the hinge from a substantially horizontal' to a substantially vertical position. The flap permits the passage of a smaller or larger amount of water according to the relative position thereof. In actual practice it is not diflicult to mount a nap upon a stationary weir or upon a dam wall,

the top or crest of which is at a considerable distance above the bed of the river. However, if the dam wall is merely a sill and the hinge of the flap is located near the bed of the river, it is necessary to provide a cavity or recess in the dam for receiving the ap, so that when the flap is disposed in a horizontal or inoperative position, it will not hinder navigation, discharge of high Water, and the like.

When a cavity is formed in the stationary dam structure, sand, shingle, mud, and other foreign matter, collects in the cavity, and 'causes considerable trouble, due to the fact that the flap cannot be moved into the cavity on account of the presence of foreign matter therein.

vide means for scavenging or removing foreign matter, such as sand, shingle, mud and the like from a cavity of a dam of the type having a flap pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to be disposed in the cavity.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a transverse section of a dam constructed according to the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a. plan of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the main dam structure I I comprises a masonry body formed on the 55 bed of a stream or river and extending across An object of the present invention is to prolthe river from shore to shore. The masonry employed for constructing the dam I I may be of any suitable material, such as concrete or the like.

At each end the dam II is formed with an upstanding end wall I2, only one of which is shown in the drawings. The end walls I2 may extend upwardly any desired height and be of any desired length up and down the stream with respect to the dam. y

As shown in Fig. 1, the main body of the dam il has a front or upstream wall I3, a bottom I4,

and a top I5. The bottom I4' isA longer than the top, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Mounted upon the top I5 at a'point adjacent the rear end thereof is a flap IB, which is pivotal- Vly connected along'its lower longitudinal edgev to the dam by `hinges I'I.

As shown, the flap may consist of two curved plates I8, I9 which are firmly united with one any To actuate the iiap I6 from one of its ends, is

admissible also in the present case, since the flap', designed and shaped as shown and described, is a bending-proof and torsion-proof structure.

In order to permit the nap I6 to be swung downwardly to a position in which the flapwill not hinder navigation, discharge ofhigh water, and the like, a cavity 2| is formed in the portion of the dam I I on the downstream side of the flap.

As shown in Fig. 1, the cavity 2| has a front, substantially vertical wall 22, which is disposed a slight distance downstream from the point at which the hinges I1 are connected to the top I5 of the dam. The bottom of the cavity 2l curves upwardly slightly downstream from its junction with the bottom of the vertical wall 22, so that the cavity provides a recessl having a suitable contour for the iiap I6 when the flap is disposed in the cavity, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1.

Due to the fact that sand, shingle and other foreign matter collects in the cavity 2|, it is desirable to provide means whereby such foreign matter can be flushed or removed from the cavity, so that the ap I6 can be disposed therein when desired.

According to the present invention the scavenging means comprises a channel or passage 23 which is formed in the dam II beneath the top I5 and in spaced relation in front of the front wall 22 of the cavity 2|. This channel 23 extends across the entire length of the dam II from one end I2 thereof to the other and is entirely enclosed.

The channel 23 is separated from the cavity 2| by the wall 22, which wall may be of any suitable thickness, and the bottomof the channel 23 lies in substantially the same plane as the bottom of the cavity 2| adjacent the wall 22.

The channel 23 is in communication with the cavity 2|, so that Water in the channel 23 can flow into the cavity 2|, through a series of slots 24 formed in the bottom of the wall 22.

As shown in Fig. 2, the slots 24 are separated by relatively narrow vertical walls or columns 25.

It is necessary to provide the columns 25 so as tov anchor the lower portion of the Wall 22 to the bottom of the dam, but said walls or columns are so formed as to not interfere to any great extent with the flow of water from the channel 23 into the cavity 2|.

At a suitable point upstream with respect to the dam Il, one of its end walls I2 is formed with an opening 2l which is connected to the channel 23 by a passage 28.

In order to prevent the passage of sticks and other foreign matter through the passage 28, a suitable screen 2S is mounted on the end wall I2 in front of the opening 21 (see Fig. 2).

The passage 28 constitutes a by-pass through which water can be conducted from the pool on the upstream side of the dam to the channel 23 and from thence to the cavity 2|, for the purpose of flushing the cavity, and in order to control communication through the passage 28, a gate or shutting-off member 3U is provided. The gate 30 may be mounted at any suitable point in the passage 28, and said gate may be of any approved type by which the amount of water flowing through the by-pass provided by the passage 28 can be regulated, so as to permit various amounts of Water to flow into the channel 23, or the ilow of Water to said channel completely cut off.

The water flowing from the head water through the by-pass 28 is subjected to the pressure exerted by the head water, and therefore the water rushing from the channel 23 through the slots 24 into the cavity 2| drives the shingle, sand, and other foreign matter out of the cavity.

Preferably the slots 24 should be so formed as to have a sectional area of such a size that the amount of water flowing through said slots is less than the amount being added to the head water so that the water flowing through the slots 24 is always subjected to the full pressure x of the head water, and the scavenging is, therefore, effected energically under that pressure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isz- A dam comprising a main body disposed on the bed of a stream and having an upper portion and a lower portion, with a vertical wall connecting both portions, the lower portion constituting a cavity extending across the stream the entire length of the dam, an end wall projecting upwardly from each end of the dam, a movablefiap hingedly connected along one edge to the upper portion of the dam adjacent said vertical wall, said flap being adapted to be disposed in said cavity when swung downwardly from an upright position, an enclosed channel formed in the dam on'the upstream side of said vertical wall, said channel being coextensive with thecavity andbeing spaced therefrom by said vertical wall, a series of slots formed in the dam between the bottom of saidV channel and the bottom of said cavity through which water can flow from the channel into saidrcavity, said slots extending throughout the Ventire length of the channel, a by-pass formed in one end of the dam and connecting the channel with the head water above the dam, and means for controlling .the amount of water flowing through said by-pass.

THEODOR BECHER. 

